Location and Aspect
Schönhell is a vineyard site in Hallgarten, a district of Oestrich-Winkel in the wine-growing region Rheingau. The hillside is located in the western part of Hallgarten and is oriented towards the south to south-south-west, towards the Rhine. The terrain lies at an elevation of 100 to 200 metres and has a slope of 10 to 30 percent.
Soil and Climate
The soils consist of sandy gravel over loess clay and contain, in places, clay as well as embedded rock. Shallow to medium-depth gravel soils and deep loess are also described. The soils have good water-retention capacity. Above the site, forests protect the area in the direction of the Hallgartener Zange from cold weather.
Grape Varieties and Wine Style
Riesling is grown at this site. The VDP site profile lists Riesling and Spätburgunder as classified grape varieties. The wines from Schönhell are described as having body and fruit, along with a firm acidity.
Name and Classification
The name Schönhell has been documented since the 14th century and is derived from a term for a beautiful hillside or mountain slope. In the Hessian vineyard directory, SCHÖNHELL is registered as a single site (Einzellage) in the cadastral area of Hallgarten; this includes the lieux Am Kirchenacker and Frühernberg. A 6.00-hectare portion has been classified by the VDP as VDP.GROSSE LAGE®.
